If you want to know the traffic offences in Lagos and penalties meted out by the new government in Lagos state this 2023, then you have to read this post.
It is true that most traffic laws are disobeyed in the country, even as the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) and Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) try to educate the public on these road signs and the consequences and penalty of disobeying these road signs and symbols.
While we are aware that the state of traffic in the state is nothing to write home about, we often advice drivers who ply Nigerian roads (Federal or State), to be mindful of such Lagos traffic laws to avoid paying unnecessary fines. Honestly, these fines are very harsh (both in monetary terms and jail term).
With this approach, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu signed an executive bill that strengthens agencies of traffic management in the state so as to maintain a level of sanity among commuters. According to him, no mercy would be shown to traffic offenders as punishment would be served to anyone found guilty for breaking Lagos traffic rules.
An example of the enforcement of these laws came to effect recently when two traffic offenders were caught breaking traffic laws and had their cars forfeited after they were found guilty of breaking the traffic law of passing through one way in Ikeja, Lagos according to a court ruling.
You might also want to know that the least financial penalty to be paid at the LASTMA office under the traffic law in Lagos State is ₦20,000. This figure is even not calculated with the towing charge of your vehicle to show you the strictness of these laws.
LAGOS TRAFFIC OFFENCES AND PENALTIES: FULL LIST (2023)
Below is a list of all traffic offenses and their fines/ penalties in Lagos state this 2023.
1. DRIVING WITHOUT A DRIVER’S LICENSE
This offence entails that one is caught by any state traffic management agent (LASTMA), driving without a valid driver’s license. The penalty for this offence is for the vehicle to be impounded by the officials.
2. DRIVING OF ANY VEHICLE BY PERSON UNDER 18
Underage driving is prohibited in Lagos state and in the country at large. The penalty/fine for persons driving any vehicle under the age of 18 is ₦30,000.
3. DRIVING WITH FAKE NUMBER PLATES
If caught, the guilty person fine will be ₦30,000 or he or she would spend 3 years in prison as penalty for driving with fake number plates.
4. DRIVING WITH FORGED VEHICLE PARTICULARS
There are some who ply state roads with forged vehicle particulars. Well, Lagos state traffic laws stipulates 6 months in prison as a penalty for such persons if found guilty of driving with forged vehicle documents.
5. DRIVING WITH FAKE DRIVER’S LICENSE
Just like the above, the penalty for driving with a fake driver’s license is 6 months in prison.
6. DRIVING WITHOUT ROAD WORTHINESS
The traffic law in Lagos state empowers LASTMA to impound vehicles that drive without road worthiness on Lagos state roads.
7. DRIVING ONLY YELLOW
The guilty offender would pay a sum of ₦80,000 as financial penalty and LASTMA must enforce painting.
8. DRIVING COMMERCIAL VEHICLE WITHOUT HACKNEY PERMIT
If you are caught driving a commercial vehicle without Hackney permit, the law demands that you vehicle be impounded by LASTMA officials.
9. NO DISPLAY OF HACKNEY PERMIT
Most car owners are guilty of this and the penalty for not displaying Hackney permit is to impound vehicle by traffic management agents
10. KABU KABU WITHOUT PERMIT
Kabu Kabu are vehicles mostly used for carrying or conveying goods from one place to another. In Lagos, Kabu Kabu drivers are expected to have permit for their cars. The traffic penalty for not having such permit if caught and found guilty is for the vehicle to be impounded.
11. DISOBEYING LASTMA OFFICER
Not obeying LASTMA officers is a serious offence in Lagos state and it attracts a fine of ₦30,000 or even impound vehicle if found guilty.
12. NEGLECT OF TRAFFIC DIRECTION LIGHT
If you purposely neglect traffic direction light and any LASTMA officer catches you, it means you will spend 3 months in prison as penalty if found guilty.
13. SMOKING WHILE DRIVING
You find most commercial bus drivers guilty of breaking this Lagos state traffic law. It is a serious traffic offence to smoke while driving and the financial fine attached to this offence is ₦30,000 or you have your vehicle impounded.
14. PHYSICALLY ASSAULT TRAFFIC OFFICER
Fighting an officer of the law attracts a fine of ₦50,000 or 6 months in prison.
15. DRIVING WITHOUT FULL LIGHT
This traffic offence attracts a fine of ₦50,000 only.
16. DRIVING WITH WORN OUT TYRE
If your tyre is worn out or weak, it is advisable to change it as it could cause you accident. If your vehicle is inspected and your are found driving with worn out tyre, you would be fined ₦30,000.
17. DRIVING WITHOUT SPARE TYRE
It is a traffic offence to drive on Lagos roads without a spare tyre as backup. The fine for driving without a spare tyre is ₦30,000.
18. DRIVING SMOKING VEHICLE
If your vehicle is fond of emitting smoke while driving from the exhaust due to faulty engine, it would be best you take it for a repair as the current traffic law stipulates a fine of ₦30,000 if your vehicle is caught.
19. NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER
The use of fire extinguisher cannot be under estimated as when there is a fire outbreak. Both the FRSC and LASTMA have told the public that it is compulsory to have this in your vehicle unless you want to pay a fine of ₦30,000.
20. BROKEN WINDSCREEN
If your windscreen is broken, you should repair it so as not to pay ₦30,000 as a fine if caught with one.
21. TINTED WINDSCREEN
This attracts a financial penalty of ₦30,000.
22. EATING AND DRIVING WITH ONE HAND
Truth be told, this has been the cause of most accidents in the state and country at large and should be avoided at all cost. If found guilty, one could spend 3 months in prison.
23. ONE WAY DRIVING
Driving through one way just to beat traffic is what most road users do here in Lagos and sometimes escape traffic officers. Well, if you are caught and are found guilty, you risk spending 3 years in prison as penalty for this traffic offence.
24. DRIVING WITHOUT FASTEN SEAT BELT
I don’t think one would be dumb not to fasten his or her seat belt whilst driving. This kind of offence is rare as the former governors have orientated the people on dangers of not using seat belts when driving. If caught not using it, attracts a fine of ₦30,000.
25. NOT PAINTING A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE WITH THE APPROVED COLOUR
The official colour for commercial vehicles is yellow and black stripe. If a commercial driver is caught without the appropriate colour, he would be expected to pay ₦50,000 as fine.
26. NO CAR HIRE SERVICE PERMIT
1st fine ₦20,000; 2nd fine ₦30,000 or Impound vehicle.
27. PARKING ON YELLOW LINE ON ANY PUBLIC HIGHWAY
Illegal parking on the highway of any sort attracts a fine of ₦20,000 if caught at first, then ₦30,000 subsequently.
28. VEHICLE CROSSING DOUBLE YELLOW LINE/CENTER LINE
1st fine is ₦20,000 while subsequent fines if caught again is ₦30,000.
29: STAYING WITHIN THE YELLOW JUNCTION BOX (OFFSIDE RULE)
1st fine is ₦20,000 and subsequently ₦30,000 if caught again.
30. FAILURE TO YIELD TO RIGHT OF THE WAY OF PEDESTRIAN AT ZEBRA CROSSING
This traffic offence attracts ₦20,000 at first then ₦30,000 subsequently.
31. FAILURE TO GIVE TO TRAFFIC ON THE LEFT AT A ROUNDABOUT
This attracts ₦20,000 at first then ₦30,000 subsequently.
32. DRIVING ON WALKWAY OR KERB
This traffic offence stipulates that the vehicle be impounded.
33. REVERSING ON THE HIGHWAY & PARKING ON WALKWAYS
This attracts a fine of ₦50,000 if caught by LASTMA.
34. OBSTRUCTION OF TRAFFIC
If you disturb the flow of traffic on Lagos roads, it attracts a fine of ₦20,000.
35. PICKING/DROPPING PASSENGERS ON ILLEGAL BUS-STOP
This offence is committed mostly by commercial bus drivers and the law demands that they pay ₦50,000 if they are caught.
36. DRIVING ON BRT LANES
BRT lanes are prohibited for all and sundry except BRT buses. If you are caught using the lane, you would be forced to pay ₦70,000.
CONCLUSION
Finally, these laws ensures that traffic rules and regulations are adhered to thereby reducing the risk of road accidents. Also, there won’t be room for road users to say they were not aware of such rules. Ignorance is not an excuse, so road users should avoid breaking any of these Lagos traffic laws and be good citizens.
Lagos state government should tell federal government that they don’t need federal road safety in Lagos. Because Lagos state want to increase their IGR, they new hand over all the responsibility of federal road safety to LASTMA. LASTMA officers are not in any way helping Lagos traffic, expecially in Ikeja and oshodi. They are only after victims and their pucket. Their major assignment is to control traffic 🚦, and direct road users. At Allen bus stop I have flat tire, last came there to arrest me, they tow my vehicle to their office beside fela shrine and I paid 15200 that day. Is that how to treat road users? Most of this money doesn’t go to government account. For a LASTMA officer to be contributing 10000 naira daily. They we hire Korope 5000 naira daily. They we get all this money from people they arrest and Lagos state government don’t see anything bad about all this. The government is only after the money they generates from the road users, they don’t care about what trumma we experience. Lagos state government, please consider the pain we experience from these stupid LASTMA. If caution is not taken, one day, lagisians we stated killing LASTMA officer and by then you may not be able to control it. Thanks
Lagos state government should tell federal government that they don’t need federal road safety in Lagos. Because Lagos state want to increase their IGR, they now hand over all the responsibility of federal road safety to LASTMA. LASTMA officers are not in any way helping Lagos traffic, expecially in Ikeja and oshodi. They are only after victims and their pucket. Their major assignment is to control traffic 🚦, and direct road users. At Allen bus stop I have flat tire, LASTMA came there to arrest me, they tow my vehicle to their office beside fela shrine and I paid 15200 that day. Is that how to treat road users? Most of this money doesn’t go to government account. For a LASTMA officer to be contributing 10000 naira daily. They we hire Korope 5000 naira daily. They we get all this money from people they arrest and Lagos state government don’t see anything bad about all this. The government is only after the money they generates from the road users, they don’t care about the trumma we experience. Lagos state government, please consider the pain we experience from these stupid LASTMA. If caution is not taken, one day, lagisians we started killing LASTMA officer and by then you may not be able to control it. Thanks
My question is, if a driver in Lagos is unlawfully arrested or got his or her car impounded for no just cause, is there a number to call to prove is innocence bcos I know many drivers on Lagos roads that are punished for no reason just bcos all these Lastma officials are looking out for opportunities to extort road users. Apart from the numerous complaints we hear from victims, I was also a victim earlier this August, 2021, around Jibowu, where I was close to d bridge that leads to Yaba, then I turned rightward in an attempt to follow under bridge, I was rounded up by Lastma guys who claimed I was obstructing traffic which I wasn’t as d left lane was free except d right lane that I was abt to join. Had it bn that the lane I was intending to enter was free, they won’t hv hd d advantage they took that day. More so, I wasn’t d only victim that day, a number of other vehicles were abruptly stopped n driven to their office at Oshodi n none was attended to until late in d evening. That day was wasted for all of us even thgh we were innocent of d allegedly “obstruction” we were charged with. Some paid ten thousand naira to retrieve their vehicles, some more, while others who couldn’t afford the illegal fee left their vehicles in their office. I paid 10k too, after much begging n pressure, yet, no ticket was issued to anyone to my knowledge. We need serious help on Lagos roads to combat these hungry traffic officials by having access to a strong contact that cld prove reliable any time reached out to. God bless Nigeria.
Check out this article on how to report a lastma official
Lastma officer stopped and said that I made a wrong diversion, while I diverted at the right turning, and he the fine is 70,000 thousand.. please how can I prove my innocence to this because I didn’t dirvert wrongly.. can someone help me with what to do next.. they pack my car around lawma office lagos island.
To report a lastma officer.. You can go to their office at oshodi. Ask for the complaints unit. Make sure you have the name of the erring official and video at least to prove your case. You can also reach to their public relation unit by calling this number 08129928503.. Believe me you get help. Just present your case well. I was able to deal with some lastma officers this way and it work for me … I am transporter here in lagos
I was stopped by LASTMAN officer with the name ABUBAKAR attached to zone 18 unit Sura office Lagos Island claiming i did wrongful overtaking on a road that is one way, i asked how i did Wrongful Overtaking on a straight way with all vehicles going same direction on Osborne road, before i knew what was going on the have tried tolling my car which i told them i rather drive it down to their wanted place than tolling cos i knew how they damaged a colleague vehicle while tolling it away on a park and pay space at ikoyi.
I was fined #50,000.00 for an offense not listed on their site (the said Abubakar clearly told the security guy to inform the ticketing officer that she should draw up #50,000.00 as fine), I asked what they meant by wrongful overtaking and none of them could explain what it meant on a straight lane (Osborne to Falomo (not a dual lane)
I also heard while on their premises that they need to meet up with the quota given to them and i was surprised when one Adebayo said they will only calm down after the election because they money they are generating is for election.
Please the Head of Operation of Lastman should look into this abnormalities and call their staffs to order,